Electrode and resistor assembly unit



July 17, v I v L STOFFEL ELECTRODE AND RESISTOR ASSEMBLY UNIT FiledSept. 2, 1948 JNVENTOR. [.Esrur' Z ha/Z. v

Patented July 17, 1951 ELECTRODE AND RESISTOR ASSEMBLY UNIT Lester L.Stoffel, Lakewood, Ohio, assignor to The Ohio Carbon Company, Cleveland,Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 2, 1948, Serial No.47,381

1 Claim.

This invention relates to current limiting devices of the type employinga small gas filled lamp having a pair of spaced electrodes andconductors leading from the electrodes to the exterior of the lamp. Aresistor is generally attached to one of the electrodes and in serieswith one of test leads to limit the current applied to the electrodes ofthe lamp.

My invention is concerned particularly with the connection from one ofthe electrodes of the lamp to the resistor. It has heretofore beencustomary to embed two conductors in opposite ends of a carbon resistorand to attach one of the conductors to a conductor leading from anelectrode of the lamp. The connection is usually made by twistingtogether the lead from the resistor and the lead from the electrode, butthe connection has not only involved an extra operation but has beenunsatisfactory from the viewpoint of a lasting connection. To increasethe efiiciency and certainty of the connection, as well as reduce theexpense, my invention provides a single integral continuous conductorfrom the resistor to an electrode of the lamp. I accomplish this byembedding the free end of the electrode lead in the resistor so that nointermediate soldering or other means of joining is employed.

My invention is illustrated in the drawings hereof and is hereinaftermore fully described.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is an elevation of my electrode and resistorassembly; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the unit with the resistor insection; Fig. 3 is an elevation partly in section of a device embodyingmy electrode and resistor assembly.

In Figs. 1 and 2, l designates the electrode, II the resistor, I2 theconductor between the resistor and electrode and I3 the externalconductor leading from the resistor. The conductor [2 is effectivelysecured at one end to the electrode I0 by bringing the end portion ofthe conductor alongside of the electrode and welding the two togetherwhere their ends overlap. The opposite end of the conductor I2 isembedded in the carbon resistor II. This end may be corrugated ordistorted to insure an effective connection. The other resistorconductor 13 has its inner end also embedded in the carbon resistor, asshown in Fig. 2, and leads from the resistor to the line.

With such an assembly unit as above described solder at any portion isavoided and a more uniform and-certain connection is made.

Fig. 3 is an illustration of one embodiment of my assembly in a gasfilled lamp testing device. This tester employs a gas filled lampprovided with the assembly unit described together with anotherelectrode 20 and a conductor 21 connected thereto and extending to theexterior of the lamp. Two electrodes are mounted in a glass envelope 30,exhausted of air, and charged with gas in the usual manner. This glassenvelope, as shown, may be surrounded by a protective transparenthousing 31. The lamp conductors and the resistor are surrounded by aninsulating protecting sleeve 32 carrying the housing 3|. The conductor[3 leading from the resistor and the conductor 2| leading from theelectrode 20 are shown as provided externally with insulation l4 and 24,finally terminating in test prods l5 and 25 as is usual in this type ofdevice.

My invention provides a combined electrode and resistor effectivelycoupled together and ready for the mounting of the electrode in thelamp. In the manufacture of the unit it is convenient first to weld theelectrode to the conductor l2 and thereafter embed the other end of theconductor in the carbon resistor simultaneously with the embedding ofthe external conductor 13, to produce the unit shown in Figs. 1 and 2;however, if desired the welding of the electrode to the conductor l2 maybe performed after the mounting of that conductor in the resistor.

I claim:

A lamp having in combination a gas filled globe with a pair ofelectrodes therein extending out of the globe, an insulating sleevesurrounding the projecting portions of said electrodes, a transparenthousing covering said globe and connected at its free end to one end ofsaid insulating sleeve, an elongated carbon resistor located completelywithin the sleeve and having a pair of conductors respectively embeddedin its opposite ends, one of said conductors being welded at its freeend to one of said electrodes, a connector wire welded to the free endof said other conductor and extending from the open end of said sleeve,another connector wire welded to said other electrode and extending fromthe free end of said sleeve and adapters connected to the free ends ofthe connectors extending from said insulating sleeve.

LESTER L. STOFFEL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS OTHER REFERENCES 19fopular Science Magazine, pp.192-196, Feb.

